Robert e



(No Model() R. E. MGOON-LEY.

STEERING ATTAGHMBNT POR BIGYGLES.

No. 579.664. Patented Mar. 30, 1897` l r I 'HE NONI? P "S CO PHGYU Ln H(A "UNGTN D C ROBERT E. MCCONLEY, OFVHITCOMB, VISCONSIN.

lSTEERING ATTACHMENT FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,664, dated March30, 1897'.

Application filed March 20,1896. Serial No. 584,136. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. McCoNLnY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Whitcomb, in the county of Shawano andy State of Visconsin,have invented a new and useful Steering Attachment for Bicycles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bicycles, and particularly to the steeringmechanism thereof, the said invention having for its object to providemeans whereby the steering-wheel, or rather the stem of thesteering-wheel fork, may be locked or held for holding the front orsteering wheel in alinement with the rear wheel, thus causing themachine to travel in a straight line and preventing the liability of thesame to be twisted by coming in contact with some obstacle and therebythrowing the rider.

The invention also facilitates the pushing of the machine while walkingwith the aid of one hand only, leaving t-he other hand free.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel features and detailsof construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the drawings, and finally embodied in theclaim hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of asufficient portion of a safety-bicycle to illustrate the application ofthe improvement thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective Viewof theimproved steering apparatus.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral gures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated therein anordinary safetybicycle, the frame of which comprises the usual head-tubel, the upper horizontal bar 2, handle-bar 3, and the handle-bar stem 4.

For the purpose of carrying out the present invention a disk-shapedlock-plate 5 is secured fast upon the upper end of the headtube l, thecenter of said plate, however, being open, so that the handle-bar stemmay be introduced through the head-tube of the machine. Mounted fast onthe stem 4 is a clip 6 in the form of a collar surrounding said stem andprovided with laterallypro jecting perforated ears 7. Beneath the clip 6is located a sliding annular lock-plate 8, and this plate is supportedby means of rods or stems 9, which attach rigidly at their lower endslto the plate 8 and extend thence upward through the perforated ears 7 ofthe clip 6. The upper extremities of the rods or stems 9 are headed orhooked, as shown, and spiral springs 10 are interposed between suchheaded upper ends of the rods or stems and the lateral ears 7 saidsprings being disposed around the rods or stems 9 and exerting theirtension to uphold the upper plate 8 normally out of contact with thelower plate 5 on the head-tube, thus allowing the stem 4 to turn withperfect freedom.

1l designates a lever of elbow form fulcrumed at its elbow on the stem4, the said lever being constructed in such manner that it will straddlethe said stem, so as to bring the short arms 12 thereof upon oppositesides of the same. As above stated, the upper plate 8 is normally upheldby the springs l0. The said plate may, however, be depressed by vibrating the lever ll in such man ner that the short arms thereof will actagainst the upper sides of the upper plate and force the same downward.The lever 1l is preferably made in the form of a loop, so that it mayembrace the stem 4 when vibrated upward, so as not to be in the way ofthe rider. When the lever ll is vibrated downward, the ends of the shortarms pass beyond a line drawn longitudinally of the stem and through thefulcrum of the lever, and said short arms are prevented from rockingupward on the other side of such line by reason of the lever coming incontact with and being stopped bythe upper horizontal bar 2 of themachine-frame, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. Under this adjustmentthe plates are held in locked engagement and will be so held until thelever is again vibrated in a reverse direction. Both of the lock-platesare provided upon their adjacent working surfaces with interlockingcorrugations,whereby they are adapted to engage each other positivelywhen forced together by the means above described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the rider while inthe saddle may readily lock the steering-wheel in longitudinal alinementwith the driving-wheel, thus causing the machine to travel in a straightTOO line, and he may as readily unlock the same When necessary. Theimprovement is especially valuable when the rider dismounts and pushesthe machine ahead of hiin up steep inclines or along a rough section ofthe road Where he cannot conveniently ride. This he may accomplish Withone hand, leaving the other hand free.

It will be apparent that chan ges in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to Without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In abicycle, a plate secured fast to the head-tube of the machine, incombination with an opposing plate slidingly mounted on the stem of thesteering apparatus, a clip fast ROBERT E. MCUONLEY.

Witnesses:

WM. G. I'IEINs, CEAS. Hams.

